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As announced last November, Microsoft has been planning to discontinue Windows Live Messenger in 2013, moving all users over to Skype sometime in Q1 of this year. Today, Microsoft emailed all 100 million+ Messenger users to announce that the company will retire Messenger on March 15, after which users must use Skype. (The exception to this will be users in mainland China, who will still be able to use Messenger as the platform is operated locally.)

Today's email to users went out with the subject, "Important info about your Messenger account", along with a bold statement in the email announcing that "It's time to update Messenger to Skype!" As this shift has been in the news for several months, the email didn't come as a surprise to many users - but as March 15 is not exactly very far into the future, those who weren't aware will now be forced to make a quick (and perhaps rough) transition.

However, Microsoft suggests this transition should be easy. In the email to users, the company says:

"Update to Skype and sign in using a Microsoft Account (same as your Messenger ID) and all your Messenger contacts will be at your fingertips. You’ll be able to instant message and video chat with them just like before, and also discover new ways of staying in touch with Skype on your mobile and tablet."

As we previously mentioned, these "new ways" include calling landlines and mobiles all in one place; sharing screens; video calling on mobile phone; video calling with Facebook friends; and group video calling.

As for what happens between now and March 15? Also in the email to users, Microsoft says "Messenger will continue to work as you know it today. If you are signed in with Messenger on your desktop you will see a banner notification to upgrade. When you click on the banner, an installer window will open with the request to upgrade. This will take you through our installer flow to install Skype and automatically uninstall Messenger."

Microsoft clearly wants users to make this switch as soon as possible - if not to make it easy on users, but so the company doesn't lose them altogether come March 15.